Personal and memorable Indonesia journeys

Sout & Central Sulawesi; the highlights (S-CSul20)

20 days

A classic highlight trip where you travel from Makassar (South Sulawesi) to Luwuk (South East Sulawesi). On the way you see the special architecture of the Buginese stilt houses. Get acquainted with the funeral rites of the Toraja people and experience you enter the megalithic images of the Bada Valley their breathtaking surroundings. The last few days are for relaxation on a Togian island.

DAY 1 | Arrival Makassar

You arrive in Makassar where a car will be ready to take you directly to the hotel. If desired, you can stop at Paotere en route; the port where you can view specific Sulawesi boats (Pinisi) which are made entirely from teakwood.

DAY 2 | Makassar

(departure 09.00) In the morning a local English speaking guide will meet you. You travel to the Barombong area, which is about 20 minutes from Makassar. Here a very nice cycling tour starts of about 5 hours where you are introduced in the life of all day on Sulawesi. You see how people live off fish, seaweed and palm wine production, cycle through the beautiful green landscape along the interesting stilt houses and you get a lunch at a family's house. The bike tour ends at Fort Somba Opu where the car is ready to take you to the hotel.

DAY 3 | Makassar - Bira

(departure 09.00) In the morning departure for Bira. The driver speaks limited English and there is no guide available. In short distance from Bira lies Tana Beru, where you can see how traditional wooden pinisis are made into various small shipyards on the beach. A craft that lives on and still flourishes today.

DAY 4 | Bira

Free for leisure. Car is standby for short distances.

DAY 5 | Bira - Sengkang

(departure 9.00)In the early morning you leave towards Sengkang. The first part of the route is along the coastline but afterwards there you will meandering through the mountains. On the way you stop at a family's house for a delicious extensive lunch. Sometimes, this is the place where you meet your guide (sometimes you do not and you meet him in Sengkang). He also travels along to Sengkang. If there is still enough time you will visit a place for silk production on arrival in Sengkang.

DAY 6 | Sengkang - Rantepao

(departure 09.00) Today a beautiful trip on the Tempe lake is on the program. The car will take you to the boats (motorized and with bench), from where you will first sail over the river after which you cross the lake. You can see from the water how people around the lake use the water not only for daily use but also for living. On lake Tempe you will visit a house in a floating village where you also get some tea with a snack. A unique experience in a completely different community. The boats bring you back to the car and from here you travel directly to Tanah Toraja. In the late afternoon you arrive in Rantepoa.

DAY 7 | Rantepao

(departure consultation with guide) Together with a local guide you discover the Toraja and experience this interesting culture. It is difficult to predict in advance whether there is a death ceremony or not but if there is, it is an interesting addition to your journey. There are also several locations where you can see rock tombs and rows of ancestral statues (Tautau) such as Ke'te Kesu, Lemo and Londa. Today or tomorrow you will enjoy a traditional lunch in a traditional village, depending on the day program in Toraja.

DAY 8 | Rantepao

(departure in consultation with guide) Today you discover, under the guidance of a local guide, the details of the old animistic tribal customs and social structures that maintain the Toraja's till this day.

DAY 9 | Rantepao - Pendolo

(departure around 08.00) In the early morning you leave Torajaland and drive with the driver (no guide) further north. Through a winding mountain road you reach the coast after a few hours. When you drive back into the forested mountains, you will pass a waterfall. Towards the end of the afternoon you arrive in Pendolo, which is located on the south bank of the Poso lake.

DAY 10 | Pendolo - Tentena

(departure 08.00) In the morning a local guide will pick you up and together you board a chartered boat. The boat follows the east bank and makes a few stops. Around noon you will arrive at the location for the overnight stay.

DAY 11 | Tentena

Please Take Swimsuits ! (departure 09.00) After breakfast we sail towards a parking place from where we continue till we are near the beautiful Saluopa waterfall. The last part you walk on a forest path. This beautiful waterfall is nicely surrounded by tropical rainforest. In the various pools that the waterfall is rich, you can have a wonderful swim. You are back at Tentana by noon.

DAY 12 | Tentena -Bada Vallei

(departure in consultation with driver) With a jeep and a local guide you will drive in the morning from Tentena to the Bada valley. Bada valley, with its huge megaliths, is probably one of the best kept secrets of Sulawesi. The extraordinary statues, which are about 2500 years old, are reminiscent of the statues on Easter Island. The local population tells legends about the magical powers of these images. The beautiful trip to the valley takes about 4 to 5 hours, while passing beautiful tropical forests. Once you have arrived you will take a walk along various megaliths close to your guesthouse.

DAY 13 | Bada Vallei

Today you discover in a jeep and under the guidance of a local guide this beautiful area.

DAY 14 | Bada Vallei - Tentena

In the early morning you leave the Bada Valley and drive back in the direction of Tentena. After about an hour you will get out of the car and enjoy a walk into the tropical rainforest. You now walk on relatively flat paths hoping to see monkeys and hornbill. After this walk we continue to hotel in Tentena.

DAY 15 | Tentena - Ampana - Bomba

In the course of the morning a car is ready and you leave for Ampana. From here you will go by boat to the Togian Islands. A 'small' archipelago in South-East Sulawesi. You will spend the night near the town of Bomba on one of the larger islands of this archipelago.

DAY 16 - 17 | Bomba

Free for leisure.

DAY 18 | Bomba - Ampana

(departure about 13.00) The morning is still free to enjoy the relaxation at Bomba. In the early afternoon you sail back via Tandjung Api to Ampana. In Tandjung Api we take you to the beach where flammable gas escapes. Once at the hotel, the rest of the day is free for leisure.

DAY 19 | Ampana - Luwuk

(departure 08.00) In the morning the car will be ready again to drive you directly to Luwuk.